Twilight | Time seemed to stand still liked a withheld breath as the sun slowly dipped over the horizon, painting the skies in hues of orange and gold. Looming clouds list lazily across the open canvas those plumes turning purple and blue as the last remnants of those rays slowly fade-- with the passing of day, came night and soon the forest below was cast into darkness. The air was still save for a gentle eastward gale which rippled softly through the veins of towering trees. Branches rattled and groaned as if in protest, their leaves rustling with a gentle sway as the very earth shifts and foliage sweeping across these planes like sand upon the dunes. Ever changing. Soft, were the tune of the nightingale their songs serenading the surrounding woods. A soothing calmness which seemed to reflect the state of the forest. All was still, or so it would appear. When gazed upon at a distance one was able to admire the great vastness of the woods a seemingly endless sea of emerald. Places yet to be discovered and truths yet to be found. Long arching tress, cast undulating shadows upon the ground appearing jagged and rigged like claws grasping at the surface of the earth. A path ran its way through the forest, like a bridge from one town to the next it winds through the uneven terrain allowing ease of travel [by carriage or foot].

Currently moving through the forest was a small squad of Dorian troops. Lead by their commander Analeska Deker, Anna was a tall and lithe woman. Well toned as a soldier of her caliber should be, with a long sword at her side, and armor meant for scouting surrounding her and her large black wings. Her wings had metal plating running along the outer wing bones, which projected a shimmering force field around them. She lead a detachment of twenty troops, all flanked out into the tree's and going about their business of making sure nothing surprised the commander.

Anna continued to scan the area, looking for anything that seemed to be a threat. She had been sent out here to scout for potential resources, as well as keep an eye on the local populous. She however wasn't stupid, she knew she could be walking into an enemy trap. So she had brought twenty of her best troops, and equipped herself with a few new toys. The scouts on the farthest end of the circle she moved in continued to report any new activity, she herself was expanding out her senses as the Priest had taught her. Set out a mobile field, scan every potential resource, not it using the on board AI in correlation with the map, and then keep moving.

"If I could find a rift, maybe the Emperor would give me command of the company." Her troops did not necessarily agree with her, but they nodded in agreement. Something of that caliber could catapult any soldiers career in the emperor's eye's.

Off the beaten path, the forest was just like any other trees spread in abundance they seemed to stand in unison, unnaturally so, as if soldiers protecting the boundaries of the forest that were divided by the road . The soft hoots of an owl pervades the night air, followed by the sudden rustling of feathers as it takes flight to avoid the commotion brewing below. The Dorian Empire, or rather what was to be a small representation . Their presence was not lost upon the forest.

One by one secrets were exposed--- by those scans -- revealing an abundance of natural resources yet to be tapped. Though perhaps not entirely what the commander was looking for, not yet at least.

The air seemed to thicken as they ventured deeper still into uncharted territories, trees appeared crooked and bent as if the very nature of this place was twisted at its core. They arched over the various paths seeming to glower over the intruders -- their branches grasping and clawing at those who unwittingly walked into them.

A solitary, silver orb, tracked their progress from above seeming as if to glow in the darkness , a black mass sitting up in a tree. The being remained motionless, allowing the group to pass until the one that was presumably the Leader passed underneath, and in a single motion the being -falls- from the tree, bounds of cloth cascading behind h him like water over the crest of a hill, landing weightlessly upon the ground behind her in a slight crouch.

'It would be unwise to venture further.' a soft, child-like voice called out to her. Though it was unassuming, and easily overheard and even as he offered that warning, there came a loud and bone chilling scream. One of the soldiers? Only time would tell.

The boy turned his head slightly in the direction of the noise as he rose to his full height of around 39 inches. He donned a simple black cloak which appeared several sizes too large as if made for an adult, and that fabric pooled about his feet --giving the small Child an almost formless indiscernible appearance. The fabric frayed and torn whipped out like the embers of a flame carried by that subtle breeze. Face covered by the shade of a hood, but beyond that a porcelain mask expressionless and with only a single slit over the left eye.

Regardless of the source the message was clear. [leave now or suffer the same fate]. The victim would be found standing at the center of a small clearing. Their eyes having been removed from their sockets their face contorted in horror, drained of color and wrinkled, no longer recognizable as the man they once were and soon their body would crumble still within its clothing leaving behind nothing but a pile of ash.

The boy uttered a single word:'Inferus,' The Face Snatcher, one of three forest guardians, who like the trees around them had become warped with animosity towards men.. and that hatred spread like venom which poisoned these lands. The creature possessed the power to peer into the hearts of men, their wants, their desires, and their fears. How then would they react when faced by the creature who appeared before them as a lover and a friend?

The creature was long gone by the time anyone arrived at the scene-- opportunistic by nature it stalked the surrounding woods. Watching ... waiting...

For a while now, Fenris had sent the Ultonis to explore the woodlands and establish a presence. The resources of such a biome were worth protecting. The Ultonis were perfect for this job, as they excelled in such environments. And working at night, was an even greater boon to them.

They glided like silent shadows, their grav-harnesses allowing them to leap from branch to branch, and no matter how thin or brittle maintain their balance upon them without them breaking. Their hazard-gear covering them against foreign intrusion of biological agents.

They had come because they had scouted the Dorian Troops. The Ultonis would be all too happy to give the Dorians a warm-welcome, but it seemed someone had beaten them to the punch. The leader of the squad signaled for them to hang back and observe, each of them taking up a perch that in relation to each other allowed them cover all their blind-spots, and maximize the effectiveness of their vantage-points.

Their were only 8 in total, moving to surround the area where they had seen the event. Their bows out, and arrows nocked. They stuck to the shadows hidden by foliage, and their sound muffled by their harnesses. Their cloaks also camo'd with the environment, however they did not have their actual cloaking fields on. They waited vigilant to the dangers now present.

One of her troops was the first to note the yell, the information traveling through the interwoven netwrok between each soldiers gear and finally to their commander. Anna issued a non-verbal command to collect everyone within eye sight. Collapsing the spore field to a much smaller range, however this would increase the power of the spore field each soldier generated. Resources had been noted on her mental map which linked up with the nearest command station.

The being which warned her not to travel forward, would be given enough room to move about however, Anna would speak in a calm and respectful voice. "What can you tell us of what lies ahead?" Zeldrians didn't mess around where the safety of their soldiers were concerned. She saw the porcelain mask of the child and couldn't help but grin. It reminded her of her Emperor when he spoke to the people. The soldiers raised their guns, unlatching the safeties on the advanced looking assault rifles, and letting the active spore batteries take hold. Squad one took point, Squad four protected the rear, while two and three flanked out and spread out. Each of the five troops along the side set their guns to differing spore macros for the widest possible distribution of punishment should they meet an enemy.

Once they moved in to find the killed being which burnt down to a crisp everyone began to look around with worry. Analeska stood in the center, hands crossed under her breasts. She didn't need to ponder the meaning, but simply needed to wonder who did it. Celesin could of been to blame of course, but they never were the kind to kill innocent civilians. Then again, who knew what this person had been before. She called out as she readied any neccesary defensive macros for her troops, her mind opening the door to the hold of Feng Rex, and saturating the air with it's nature, spreading out as far as she could. "My name is Analeska Deker of the Dorian Empire, Daughter of the First Sword. Be you friend, we request permission to scout this area for the good of our needy people. Be you foe, I demand you show yourself to face me in honorable combat." Anna may be a good commander, and great at keeping her troops safe, but Zeldrian pride died hard. She had just announced her position to the Ultonis and whatever else was here.

Speaking of Ultonis, should any of her troops come within roughly thirty feet of a hiding Ultonis, their stealth would be unmasked as the spore field each soldier generated would react to them. If they somehow were within thirty feet of Anna and didn't trigger the spore field for some reason, the Hold of Feng Rex would detect their presence, after all it was attuned to the elemental plane of Air, and their very presence would be registered in the commanders mind. If they didn't show themselves problems might be coming.

The child remained motionless, fallen leaves swirling about his presence before they settled upon the awaiting earth a bed of foliage which had already accumulated there. That solitary orb looked over he female, first drawn to her wings and that strange glow which seemed to project from them, finally his gaze met her own as she turned to address him. Though the greeting was something unexpected. The child's presence was usually dismissed or he was usually addressed in a condescending manner. A faint glimmer streaked across the surface of glass, chin tipping slightly back. Locks of silver hair brushing over the surface of his would -be-face. Lips curl slightly beneath the mask offering the female a warmed smile though she would only be met with those red painted lips. Stoic in its depiction.

He was immediately drawn to her by her mannerism, the way in which she spoke, feeling that he could trust her... even though the way in which child had introduced himself almost implied that he may have had something to do with the dangers that lie ahead. Usually greeted in disdain or dismissed entirely, many were wary of the child. Despite the ambiguous form however the ill-definition of a lithe frame could be made out beneath abundance of cloth. Reluctant at first he finally broke the silence 'A creature..' it was a mere whisper as if speaking of the beast would somehow summon it from its hiding. 'Used to tend to these woods and nurture them.. though now only knows darkness. It's able to copy faces and uses this to ambush its pray...' That mask the child word, was likely the reason that he had yet been spared. Now that that she knew how it hunted would she have a way to counter it? And indeed the forest around them seemed to have been neglected by the spirits of old, the trees slumped and desaturated, appeared as husks themselves, like the lifeless form of the man that stood before them, before fading to dust.

'I think it can still be saved.. that men and nature can live as they once have..' his voice was almost pleading, innocently as a child who knew not the greed of men's hearts..

And as Analeska expanded her senses; she would indeed feel the presence of the creature that lurked about in the shadows [as well as something else... something dark that inhabited the very trees around them] -- though it did not appear before them as she commands. No, the forests was not bound by their laws. It merely waits like a silent predator stalking its pray, until the moment presented for it to strike. Branches of trees rattled once more as wind pushed against their tops.-- It carried a distant voice -- a silent whisper. 'Leave this place and be spared, you are not welcome here.'

The Ultonis had a limited window of opportunity. But they were in their element. That being said, there was some metaphysical fuckery afoot. On more than one level. The spore-fields were activated, and the HUD's on the Ultonis' masked helmets picked up the fluctuating wave-length. It was too late to retreat, so they only had one option. Attack. And they did the moment the field reached them, attacking at perhaps the exact instant the Dorians would become privy to their presence.

As soon as they were detected, twin arrows came from two separate points. A simple non-verbal cue from the senior officer facilitating the event. The arrows moved into the so conveniently packed bunch of Dorians, not aimed at anywhere in particular but rather simply in the midst of them. Two of the four arrows were flash-bangs/smokescreens. (In that chronological order to boot.)

The other two arrows released were the equivalent of a very nasty frag-bomb. The Ultonis were actually quite environmentally conscious. It was a matter of practicality, as they relied on their environment just as much as themselves, and that merited a certain amount of respect for their surroundings. It was born of pragmatism. As such the Frag-Bombs would scar the trees perhaps, but so did many of the animals that inhabited the woodlands. The explosives were deadly enough, and it went without saying the intent was to maim and kill at least a few within the double radius of 12 feet between each bomb-arrow.

As soon as the arrows were released, the Ultonis spread out further back. Heedless to the warnings the forests self appointed custodian had given. They did not give two flying shits who thought they had the right to dictate who passed and who did not. They were Celesin Imperials after all. As far as they were concerned they called the shots.

They sought to vanish into the forest, two groups going in opposite directions disappearing deeper into the wood, not interested in continuing the fight, but rather settling on testing the invaders and playing to their strengths. Namely "Hit and run tactics" as they sought to escape. Their movements silent and quick as they glided through the leaves, as if they themselves were no more than a passing breeze.

Anna smiled serenely at their new traveling companions words as they came to the clearing. It took faces? Well that could be easily remedied. The immediate order to mask up was given. Any soldier without a mask was to be seen as an enemy. Within the blink of an eye the smart fibers of her own commanders uniform would expand and cover her face in a helmet not unlike her own fathers bird of prey war helm. It fit her better, since she had wings and he did not. She was taking no chances, and as such every single one of her troops would don their own masks. She heard the words of hope from their guide and seemed to be very intrigued by this thing. She was not against making a new ally if she could, respecting nature was not impossible for her and her kind. Their entire scientific development was after all based around biological technology as a fuel source. This may bring answers, and new avenues of thought outside of the dangerous spindle spores they currently employed in Dorian.

A ping of the forest and multiple other contacts would ring out in her mind. There was something that would need to be investigated. However before she could think of a way to address the larger presence the eight smaller presences would now be on the offensive. She registered multiple contacts coming at high velocity in her direction. To slow to be bullets or other faster projectiles, but much to fast and small to be people. She moved on instinct towards the small being, crouching low and wrapping her wings around both her and the masked guide. The flashbangs would stun her senses for a moment, her instincts forcing her to grab on and protect the masked being. The frag grenades however would smack into the ground around them. The explosion of concussive force and shrapnel rocking her from side to side. The actual payload of shrapnel would find her wings and be deflected by the force field with a bit of effort. Once the moment had passed she stood up and released the guide. Her hand moved towards her hip where she drew forth a slim long sword in the blink of an eye. Her demeanor had changed from understanding and willing to parley, to something resembling rage.

Cowards. She hated cowards. Lowest of the low. She reviewed the information fed to her by the spore field, the method of their retreat could not be determined as the field didn't move out that far to where the Grav Harness may of attached itself to something for quick retreat, but the speed and accuracy of their movement made her believe it was Celesin, breaking their word. After they had all worked together in Nexxian, after she had personally given the order to minimize their own casualties and not take advantage of the confusion to get a few kills in. Unheard orders were given to her four squads, basically telling them to keep their eye's open and look for more cowards tactics. They were a mere eight, and they were twenty and one. The advantage was the attackers, as they most likely knew the terrain better.

Her troops closest to the direction that the Alis had fled would activate their own personal shields, and keep their spore fields at a lower concentration for maximum power. Though this would give them less time to react, they would be better defensively. Those two squads moved to follow, at a slow pace, but ready to fight the moment contact was made. The most forward squad not pursuing the Alis would move closer to the commander and begin to set up a small beacon on the ground, while the final guard now spread out all around them waiting for them to come back for the commander.

Anna spoke to the masked being. "If you can communicate with this thing, I suggest you ask it to focus its attention on our unwelcome guests. They want nothing more than to destroy and enslave this world. Nothing will be safe from them. They are the enemies of all life. Nature and Civilization alike." She spoke to get this young creature to understand her as much as the thing which spoke through the air. She wouldn't leave until she could get to the bottom of both mysteries.

A soldier made a motion that showed the beacon would be set up unless something interrupted them. She spoke now, to make sure anything listening in would hear her. "If anything strikes again, I will be requesting reinforcements directly from Sydokai. We may have hostile contacts, information we have gathered suggests either hyper fast natives, or Celesin." She grinned and continued to channel her holds power through her body, the very air around her crackling with electricity as it mingled with the spore field.

The child continued to walk alongside the commander, fabric bunching slightly beneath his feet though despite the hindrance he moved with a sort of practiced step that may have seemed odd for most children. Chin tipped upward, revealing that glass surface and those silver locks which framed either side of the face. Those features were expressionless, though if she could somehow gaze through the surface of the mask she would notice the slim smile that stretched across his face. It was not often that one regarded the child's words so seriously and it was almost odd in a way how willing she was to adhere to his advice even though that they had only just met a few moments ago. Nor did he seem that concerned about their presence of the shoulders, despite being alone amidst the group of 20 armed men--- though they small group were not allowed much time to ponder over the body before they were attacked. A group of unknown Assailants who used the shadows to their advantage almost as the creature itself.

Seemingly aqueous material billows outward in response to the oncoming projectiles, though before he had much of a chance to react his lithe frame was easily envelope under the protection of Anna wrapped almost completely by her wings-- and it was well that she did since the boy did not appear to have any way of protecting himself. Any touch would have dispelled the almost shapeless form of the creature revealing the form of the child beneath who appeared to be around the age of five of six. Even his voice seemed to conceal his identity. Chin tips backwards, offering the female an almost confused glance as debris and dirt pelted against the barrier. Though it seemed that the two of them had made it out unscathed. And as the dust settled he briefly glanced about to examine the scene, noting the two craters which had been created due to the impact of those arrows, a couple of trees had toppled as well their branches creaking and snapping as they crossed over the now baron patch of land.

"T-thank you.." he offered, somewhat surprised by the sudden turn of events. "It might be too late for that.." He replied plainly, though there was a certain doubt within his voice that was not there before as if the confidence to wander about these parts had wavered slightly.Soon however, an eerie silence fell over the area. There came no response from the disembodied voice however a dark and unsettling presence formed and the faint outline of a person could be made out among the tree line it stood there. Four dark red orbs peering out at the party. Slowly it emerged, appearing as some strange humanoid creature though as it stepped out into the Alis-made-clearing its form became apparent under the pale lunar glow. It had what seemed the body of a spider with six elongated legs that appeared like spears themselves, two long spindly arms which protrude from its shoulders.. from its human torso that say on the body of a spider, its faceless features gazing out over the now masked company.

The Arachnid seemed for a moment that it might not do anything.. dark particles slowly forming around it like a cloud of miasma. Then a loud screech rippled through the trees which amplified noise. Its intentions obviously to stun those who had heard it. Then it darted towards those soldiers who remained present, weaving expertly through the trees like a spider upon its web, those long legs attempting to batter anyone who may happen to get in the way.

---Meanwhile ---

The role Alis had to play in the commotion did not go unnoticed by -The Forest- and the presence which had previously been hiding within the trees became apparent. ClickClickClick .. the soft rattling of joints echoed loudly throughout the surrounding forests. Something had awakened, the very wind itself stirred and the being manifested itself in the form of bright crimson leaves that swirled upon the air, before it shot off like a lance in the direction that the arrows had originated from and would attempt to pursue those that had assaulted the lands. Its presence tapping into the vast network of trees, a faint pulse that radiates through their branches and roots alike like the faint beating of a heart attempting to track their route of escape. It would proceed to chase them until it either caught up to them or they had managed to escape well beyond those twisted trees. [that seeming to be the extent of its influence] And unlike the blind-rage of Inferus, it was something entirely different something cold and with obvious intent.

So they found out they were Celesin. No matter. Fenris had given clear orders to hold the forest, and they all knew how he felt towards Arcerion. They were not cowards however, just pragmatic. Something their own ruler should have an appreciation for. As the trees came to life, the Ultonis were purturbed to say the least. "Metaphysical Operations in effect, we are also being pursued..." the leader of the squad sub-vocalized through their comms.

"So much for stealth." another voice came from along the comms. "They will learn what happens when beasts are cornered..." The Leader gave a terse reply. "Someone take care of that sorcery." the swarm of leaves pursuing one of the Ultonis saw two turn around and fire incendiary arrows at intersecting paths at the incoming storm of leaves. The result would see the projectiles flare to life, in a sudden conflageration of liquid molten heat, that also partially seemed to be gaseous. Seeking to ignite the leaves and reduce them to naught but ash.

This however unfortunately gave away their position to the incoming Dorians. "Flying-Shadows." the leader gave the command, after his others cleared the twisted trees. They slowed down in their pursuit and the individual ultonis intersected each others paths, moving opposite to each other and turning. Two of them using their bows, each with two-arrows a piece. One of each was another cover-arrow designed to create a dense smokescreen of charged particles designed to cause interferance as well as impede sight, the other arrow a "cryo" shot designed to create a 4 meter splash effect of something akin to liquid nitrogen only in gaseous form. The intended effect was to cause a layer of frost to impede the movements of their pursuers if not outright freeze-dry them.

However the two remaining Alis in each group, forsook their bows and took to melee. One of each carrying an HF-Weapon which extended out from the hilt, and stabilized into a langes-messer and a hand-axe. They would drop after the sleet solidified seeking to bring their oscillating weapons across the vitals of whatever hapless and hopefully half frozen individuals they encountered. They would never stop in their motion however, seeking to pass by and cut with the acceleration of their harnesses, bounding away opposite to the direction they came from and splitting off back into the foliage, while the other Alis re-nocked their bows, as they came back from their own split off from within the foliage, taking aim once again.

This would happen with both groups, and would be their response to both pursuing parties of Dorian-Soldiers.